Sanitary sweeping compound.



UNITED STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

JAMES NEWMAN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SANITARY SWEEPING COMPOUND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 792,544, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed January 17, 1905. Serial No. 241,479.

To all 11/71/0121, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Sweeping Compounds, of

which the following is a specification.

It is commonly admitted that much illness is caused by the inhalation of disease germs carried in the atmosphere put in motion by any cause of agitation. This should be particularly true of dust which arises from sweeping carpets and other floor-coverings. Germs are brought into rooms upon the feet or clothing of persons and adhere to the carpet, become mixed with the dust, and are put into circulation by the sweeping process. It is also obvious that much illness among small children, who commonly spend considerable time upon floors, may be caused by germs being inhaled by them, particularly as much sickness among children is throat or lung trouble, which are especially caused by the inhalation of such germs.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a substance which may be dampened and sprinkled upon floor-coveringssuch as carpets, &c.before sweeping them, which will contain a disinfectant and insecticide previously absorbed into said substance, which will, during the process of sweeping, kill all such disease germs and at the same time allay and absorb or gather up the dust particles, thus serving a twofold purpose by aiding greatly in cleaning the floor and preventing the dust from arising, as it commonly does from sweeping, and also by thoroughly disinfecting and ridding the carpets and the atmosphere of all objectionable disease germs and insects.

I am aware that it is common to use damp sawdust, tea-leaves, &c., in sweeping carpets for the purpose of preventing dust; but I do not regard such expedients as anticipating my invention, inasmuch as the substance which I shall presently describe is not only different but is superior to any of such substances which have been in common use for the purpose of allaying the dust and serves the additional purpose of disinfecting the rooms and killing all insect life in the carpets and all disease germs as well.

The substance that I have provided for the purpose is'made as follows: The body of the substance is composed of wood fiber, a portion of which is in itself a practical insecticide. The wood I have selected for this purpose is cedar, which is first macerated,

ground, or otherwise divided into a granular or fibrous form. The other portion may be any other fibrous wood or equivalent material which is clean and has the qualities desired, it 1 being desired to have a light fiuify substance of tity of disinfectant, preferably some by-prod not of coal or wood tar, such as carbolic acid, creosote, or any other such by-product which are commonly well known as good disinfectants. I then preferably add a por tion of Sassafras-oil or some other similar aromatic insecticidal oil for the purpose of neutralizing any objectionable aroma of the by-product of coal or wood tar used. Such substances are absorbed into and adhere-to the dry fibrous or granulated wood. The granulated cedar in a damp condition is then mixed thoroughly with the other substances. Because of the damp condition of the cedar particles the particles containing the disinfectant and insecticide will adhere thereto and the whole mass will be rendered of granular form. I then add a portion of powdered detersive substance, such as soap powder, an alkali, or such like substance.

The bulk is composed of about one-fifth of the granulated cedar-wood and four-fifths of any other clean wood or suitable fibrous substance.

The proportion of the various substances used may be substantially as follows: Eight bushels of any common macerated wood, two bushels of the macerated cedar-wood, one pound of by-product of coal or wood tar or other disinfectant such as above described, one ounce of oil of Sassafras, and two ounces of caustic soda or other detersive substance, preferably in powdered form, which is in itself an insecticide. I have found that salsoda may be mixed with the caustic soda in about equal parts and good results secured. It is obvious that several such substances may be used and that the proportions and method of combining or mixing the several ingredients may be varied more or less with out changing the character of the invention. The whole substance is thoroughly dried and put up in packages suitable for commercial handling.

In use a portion of the substance is placed in a suitable vessel and dampened with a quantity of water, which it will readily absorb, suflicient being used to make said substance of a wet or quite damp and agglomerative condition. It is then sprinkled on the carpet or other floor-covering to be swept. l/Vhen the substance is to be used soon after it is prepared or if for any other reason preferred, 2 5 it may be left in a damp condition instead of being dried and again dampened, as will be readily understood. Dampening said substance causes the odors to be given off more freely, and the agitation by the broom in the process of sweeping, by which it is rubbed over the surface under more or less pressure, causes the disinfectant and insecticide con tained in said substance with some of the moisture and odor to be given off into the 3 5 pores of the carpet and into the atmosphere, resulting not only in a thorough cleaning of the carpet or other surface, but in freeing it and the room from disease germs and insect life. The substance being more or less plastic and having an agglomerative character serves to pick up the dirt and dust and rolls into balls or wads as it is swept over the surface, leaving no particles which are hard to remove from the carpet or other surface, as in the case of a strictly sawdust body.

The wood and other substances used are not themselves soluble in water and will not ive off any coloring-m atter that would stain fabric of any nature, which enables the substance to be used for other purposes besides sweeping, such as cleaning and disinfecting upholstered furniture.

The substance being clean and dry may also be used as an insecticide in packing clothing, carpets, and other materials, being a good substitute for moth-balls and such like substances commonly used for preserving clothing from destruction by insects. It may also be spread upon the carpet and beaten thereinto by any kind of a beater before being swept off, serving to collect all the dust and dirt and thoroughly clean the carpet without removing it from the floor.

It will be understood, of course, that any means of dividing the wood or fiber may be employed. Sawdust from sawmills may be used for that part having insecticidal properties, as cedar, inasmuch as it becomes so combined with the larger part of the fibrous body as to adhere and be bound thereto.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sweeping compound composed of a body of light fibrous material having an agglomerative character when. dampened, the same being impregnated with a distinct insecticidal, disinfecting and detersive substance, substantially as set forth.

2. A substance for use in sweeping carpets comprising a wood-pulp having an agglomerative quality when dampened and having mixed therewith and absorbed thereinto a disinfectant, insecticidal and detersive substance Which is given off by being subjected to a dampening and sweeping process, substantially as set forth.

3. A sweeping compound composed in a large part of any common finely divided wood fiber, another part of other finelydivided wood which has in itself insecticidal properties, mixed with a by-product of coaltar, an insecticidal oil and a detersive substance, substantially as set forth.

4. A sweeping compound comprising a 95 body of light fibrous absorbent and agglomerative material having mixed therein a byproduct of tar, insecticidal oil and a detersive substance, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Washington, District of Columbia, this 13th day of January, A. D. 1905.

JAMES NEWMAN. [L. s.]

l/Vitnesses HAZEL NORDEMAN, E. W. BRADFORD.

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